Yes, there are still parts of TWI’s Dixon Waterfowl Refuge that are not yet restored! Tucked away in the northeast corner—“half-hidden from the eye,” as William Wordsworth might describe it—is an area called Violet Meadow where we’re starting habitat restoration this year.
Roughly 174 acres of woodland, prairie, wet meadow, seep, and marsh, the Violet Meadow area runs along Route 26 at the Refuge’s northeastern boundary. We named the area for the five types of native violets that grow there. Some of Violet Meadow’s habitats have become dominated by aggressive plant species, however, and are losing their diversity. Plans for restoration—to be carried out over three years—include invasive management and native plantings.
Prairie violets are one of the native species to be planted at Violet Meadow. Photo by Gary Sullivan/TWI.
“Violet Meadow has not previously been the focus of intensive restoration efforts, but the area has great promise for the unusual mosaic of habitat and plant communities we plan to develop,” said TWI Senior Ecologist Gary Sullivan. “Restoring it will benefit a wide range of birds and other wildlife.”
Those with feathers, scales, or six legs won’t be the only creatures to benefit, though. The plan for Violet Meadow includes installing a low-impact hiking trail. The 1.7-mile trail will begin at the Oak Ridge parking lot along the north levee of the Refuge and end with two loops through some of Violet Meadow’s restored prairie, woodland, and wetland habitats. A 0.4-mile birding spur off the main trail will lead to a low platform that will allow a secluded view of the marsh at the north end of Hopper Lake.
Violet Meadow will have a broad range of habitat types in a relatively compact area, along with a trail and viewing platform for visitors (click on map to enlarge). Map by Jim Monchak/TWI.
Some habitat found at Violet Meadow will be familiar to fans of the Refuge’s Dore Seep Trail. The new project area includes the north zone of a massive seep system that stretches along 2.6 miles of the Refuge’s east border, all the way to what we call the Dore Seep at the south end of the site.
“Over the years, as groundwater seeped out of the adjacent bluffs into Violet Meadow, a unique group of plant communities sprang up just as they did in the Dore Seep,” explained Dr. Sullivan. “Although Violet Meadow’s seep is not as extensive as the Dore Seep, some plants occur there that aren’t found elsewhere at the Refuge, like the northern bog violet, skunk cabbage, and fen black-eyed Susan.” Control of weedy plants like multiflora rose, black locust trees, and non-native cattails will ensure these sensitive species flourish.
The Violet Meadow restoration is also expected to expand the amount of high-quality habitat available at the Refuge for amphibians and reptiles, bird species of conservation concern, and declining pollinators. The gradient of habitats from wet to dry and from shaded to open should support frogs, toads, and uncommon species like the eastern milk snake across their life cycles. The woodland habitat with prairie and wetland openings ought to prove appealing to birds like the Red-headed Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and Acadian Flycatcher.
Violet Meadow will provide the full range of habitats needed by the eastern milk snake across its life cycle. Photo by Gary Sullivan/TWI.
Finally, TWI will plant large amounts of native milkweeds and other prime nectar sources for the declining monarch butterfly and other at-risk insects like the federally endangered rusty patched bumble bee, which was discovered at the Refuge during our 2018 BioBlitz.
With a grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources’ Habitat Fund, Refuge restoration staff are able to start controlling invasive plants at Violet Meadow this year; native plantings will follow in subsequent years. We’re currently seeking additional grants for restoration as well as for trail construction. TWI hopes to open Violet Meadow to the public by fall 2021 or spring 2022. Until then, enjoy the trails in other areas of the Dixon Refuge, each of which features something unique and beautiful for visitors.